Shops and establishments downed their shutters and traffic remained off the roads in Odisha’s district headquarters town of Rayagada today in response to a 12-hour bandh call given by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) demanding ration cards for all poor eligible beneficiaries in the district.

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NCP workers staged picketing at different localities of the district headquarters town forcing shopkeepers to down their shutters. Hundreds of women supporters of NCP blocked the road at Katapetha on the outskirts of Rayagada town disrupting movement of vehicles into the town.

The party’s workers are on a hunger strike for the last eight days demanding ration cards for eligible beneficiaries in the district.

“Since the administration is not listening to us we were forced to go for a 12-hour bandh,” said NCP district president Shankar Bidika.